Coupling for railway and other vehicles



F. R. RAND AND T. H. SANDERS.

COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-{23. I520.

1,419,757. Patented J ne 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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APPLICATION FILED ozcza. I920- 1,419,757. Patented June 13,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Ni @FFECE.

FRANK RICHARD RAND, LONDON,

AND THOMAS HENRY SANDERS, 0F SHEFFIELD,

ENGLAND.

COUPLING FOR RAILVIAY AND OTHER VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented June 13, 1922'.

Application filed December 23, 12 920. Serial No. 432,803.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, F ANK RIOHAnD RAND, a subject of the King of Great Br tain and Ireland, and residing at 38 Victoria Street, London, S. W. 1, England, and Thomas Henry Sanders, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 53 Cobnar Road, Sheffield, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings for Railway and Other Vehicles, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to couplings for railway and other vehicles, and has for its object to provide devices of this nature, the coupling action of which will be certain and automatic even when vehicles are approaching at an inclination to one another, as for example, when rounding curves, the coupling being equally effective from whichever side the vehicles approach one another at such inclination.

The invention also has the important advantage that the coupling is of an extremely simple character and may be-made by any railway company or others provlded with drop stamping or other simple plant.

.The invention consists in an automatic coupling of the type referred to, in which the means employed for effecting disengagement of the coupling members when required is automatically returned to the normal operative position by the uncoupling of the vehicles.

The invention also consists in a coupling of the above character, in which the links are formed as loops of substantially triangular form having their inner edges parallel with the axis of the vehicle, and the two outer edges inclined at an acute angle to the inner edge.

The invention also consists in a coupling of the above character, in which the uncoupling may be effected by means of an eccentric adapted to raise the pivoted hook in order to permit of the withdrawal of the link as the vehicles move apart, the eccentric being controlled by a wire or by a system of linkage or by other means preferably operable at a distance from the coupling.

The invention also consists in a coupling of the above character in which the eccentric is returned to its normal position by the withdrawal of the link so that the hook may also return to its normal position under the influence of gravity or of a control spring.

The invention further consists in other .details and arrangements hereinafter described or indicated.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one mode of carrying out the invention.

Figure ,1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing one form of coupling in accordance with the invention.

7 FigurefZ is a plan.

Figure 3 is fragmentary view showing the method of uncoupling.

Figures 4 and 5 are views of a modified form of coupling link. I In carrying our invention into effect in one convenient manner, as for example, in its application to the coupling of railway vehicles, we provide each vehicle with a coupling hook a and with a coupling link .7), these being arranged upon the end of the vehicle and being mounted upon or in conjunction with an equalizing cross-head or bar 0 so that the load may be equalized between them, when both sets are coupled. The usual springs (not shown) may be associated with either of said members or with both as may be desired. The links are adapted to remain in the horizontal plane but the hooks are pivoted in order to be capable of movement upwards from the horizontal so that when two vehicles approach one another the coupling will be automatic] due to the camming action of a link upon the underface of the opposing hook, whereby the latter rides up the link and then drops down under the influence of gravity or of a control spring.

In order automatically to effect the coupling between the hook and the link, the links are formed as closed loops upon a shank the outer face of each loop being if desired rearwardly inclined from the inner towards the outer side as shown in Figure 5, the arrangement being such that the automatic coupling between the vehicles will be effected even when the vehicles approach one another at an inclination and from whichever side they thus approach one another in an inclined manner. The links may, however, be formed as shown in Figure 2 or may be of other convenient shape.

Each of the coupling hooks is under the control of an eccentric d or other mechanical arrangement, preferably operable from a distance or by the handles or other operative members 6 by suitable transmission means such as a Bowden wire 7, the arrangement being such that when the vehicles are to uncouple the hook or hooks may be given a definite amount of upward movement )p as shown in Figure 4 in order to leave a free opening for the exit of the corresponding link or links, so that the latter may be withdrawn clear of the hook or hooks as the vehicles move apart, and we provide depressions g or other means in each eccentric so that the link-on being withdrawn will automatically return the eccentric to its normal position, thus allowing the hook to return to its normal position, ready for the next coupling operation.

1 Where necessary or desirable, a vehicle fitted with a coupling in accordance with this invention may also becfitted with any standard or existing coupling'i so that a vehicle, in accordanc with the invention, may be coupled to an ordinary standard or existing vehicle and also to provide for a period of transition between the ordinary coupling systems and our system. a

' Furthermore, the invention may be equally well applied to vehicles having a central buffing gear, the coupling hooks and links being arrangedin each side of the buffer.

' We do not confine our invention to the details of construction hereinbefore given by way of example, as it will be clear that we may modify the form and relative arrangement ofv coupling hooks and links and the means for controlling the operations of the same, depending upon the type or constructionof vehicle to which the invention is to be. applied or any practical conditions that the inventionmay be called on to meet.

Having now particularly described and 'asr zertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. An automatic coupling for railway and other vehicles comprising in combination a coupling hook upon one vehicle adapted to engage a link upon a second vehicle, and manually operated means for effecting uncoupling and adapted to automatically return to the normal operative position by the uncoupling operation, substantially as de scribed.

2. An automatic coupling for railway and other vehicles comprising in combination a coupling hook upon one vehicle adapted to engage a link upon a second vehicle and a manually operated eccentric adapted to raise the coupling hook from the link to effect uncoupling and to automatically return to its normal operative position by the withdrawal of the link substantially as described.

'3. An automatic coupling for railway and other vehicles, comprising in combination a coupling hook uponone vehicle adapted to engage a link upon a second vehicle and a manually operated eccentric adapted to raise the coupling hook from the link to effect uncoupling and to automatically return'to its normal operative position by the withdrawal of the link, and means for operating the eccentric to effect uncoupling comprising a wire actuated from a drum preferably operable at a distance from the coupling.

4. An automatic coupling for railway and other vehicles comprising in combination a coupling hook upon one vehicle adapted to engage a link upon a second vehicle and a manually operated eccentric adapted to raise the coupling hook from the link to effect uncoupling and to automatically return to its normal operative position by withdrawal of the link and means for positioning the eccentric, comprising notches upon its periphery adapted to engage the lip of the coupling hook, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names. 1

FRANK RICHARD RAND; THOMAS HENRY SANDERS. 

